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Thinking something different for 2018

Hey guys, I've been very blessed over the past 15 yrs with some great KS whitetails, and not that I'm "bored" with them, but really have gotten the mule deer bug! I've chased them in AZ, OR, and SD......but never here in my home state (mainly because I didn't want to take away time from my whitetail hunting). Anyway, looking at just committing to chasing mule deer here, in-state, next fall with my bow. Looking at different WIHA maps and things along the CO/KS state line. Any feed back on good areas? I've been looking at the WIHA nw of St. Francis and up in that area........Yes, Im aware of the countless hours of glassing, put your time in, etc.....Just curious if anyone had any constructive feedback on certain areas for solid mule deer numbers. I understand no one is going to drop pin me the location of the 200" that got away.......Just looking for general areas and overall solid numbers.

*really dont want this thread to turn in to a "i hate feeders and corn piles", "i hate non-residents", "i hate x-bows" thread :) Just seeing if there's any one with some productive experience and knowledge they're willing to share of which areas to start researching.

*A nonresident must apply for the Mule Deer Stamp during the April application period. A nonresident who successfully draws an archery or muzzleloader White-tailed Deer Permit among units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 16, 17, or 18 and has applied for the Mule Deer Stamp will be entered into a draw for one of a limited number of Mule Deer Stamps. If drawn, the applicant's White-tailed Deer Archery or Muzzleloader Permit converts to an Either-species/Either-sex Archery or Muzzleloader Permit. Preference points do not count toward this Mule Deer Stamp draw. If unsuccessful in the Mule Deer Stamp Draw, hunter will receive a refund and be issued the White-tailed Deer Archery or Muzzleloader Draw Permit.

Pm me for a persons name. Check out the area between Clayton and Norton, the drainage, and on both sides of the RR tracks. Takes in Decatur and Norton counties.

Seems like most of the good ones on wiha get killed during the early resident ml season. 13yrs ago..there were some good mulies around cedar bluff..im sufe numbers are down even lower there.. Norton has been a good location with plenty of public property I hunted st francis a couple yrs ago..but in dec..i saw 1 muleh that might have been 130..he was on public, i never got out of the truck...never saw what i would want to hunt and potentially shoot..saw a bunch of does and dinks, about 300 deer in 3 days..i also hunted around Hoxie..lots of private property..never saw a deer with my eyes..weather was horrible,..blowing snow, -20...i wasnt surprised,..i did get 2 tiny whitetails on trailcam over night.. That area seemed void of game... I saw a huge Whitetail with a lot of other whitetails on one property..the mule deer there seem to travel a lot...miles n miles..

I may try again one of these years,.but try to go mid october..

No interest along KS/NE line? Good pockets of’em in Gove, Trego, Graham, Logan and adjacent county to the east of St. Francis....Rawlins County.

He is a Kansas resident I think Jeff, not sure the point of your post.

Tons of good walkin areas in mule deer country. Bring the best glass you can afford like you already mention, plenty of money for gas, and a good pair of boots and you will do well!

From my experience hunt the rut for them. It gets them moving in the daylight. I have only been hunting them for 5 years, so still learning better ways. But it seems there are two ways to hunt them. Either pick a spot of WIHA and go to about every hill and glass for a long time. You will eventually find some. Or drive a lot of miles and just do a quick look with binos and if nothing seen, go to the next place. Plenty of mule deer on most of the WIHA up in that area. Just have to look at a lot of deer before finding the right one. And if it's warm/hot, plenty of rattlesnakes also

My bad then! Getting old I guess.

Be ready to see pressure. It seems as more and more Whitetail hunters lose access or interest due to the lack of mature deer the head west in search of a Mule Deer. It is a very fun hunt but with numbers declining and hunter interest up the relatively nice ones are now Unicorns. St Francis is now over crowded due to a Texas Outfitter that has been leasing all the Wiha. Look east and North of town and you might have some luck

Go a few more hours west and you'll see more in Colorado and still be able to hunt whitetails in Ks

Thanks for the feedback guys. I live on the east side of the state, so we are unfortunately use to "pressure"......Cant hunt an 80 acre patch without someone hunting all 4 sides. Matt- i use leica glass and danner boots :) , truly appreciate your comments. I follow bowsite quite a bit, but rarely post anything due to the nature of how quickly threads become gripe sessions. I will say, you seem to be very objective and have the field experience to back up your statements. Matte- I didn't realize "texas outfitters" or anyone for that matter could lease WIHA though? Regardless, thanks for the North or East idea, seen there was some ground butting up to that NE line that may need glassed. Chief-appreciate the offer, but not interested in a guide for this particular hunt.

:) That's funny Sticknstrings. I realize you don't know me, so I understand you thinking I might be offering a guide name. I was offering a name of a farmer.

Chief- my apologies for the assumption, I'll message you.

Outfitters commonly approach owners of WIHA and offer them more than the state does.

Some good ones get killed in September, like Z said, but certainly not all. Most are holed up in milo and corn fields at that time. If you can time a trip when the crops are really coming out mid-late October you can do very well as bucks are readjusting from the fields to the cover of rough pasture country and crp. Don’t be afraid to hunt all day, in terrible weather (wind, heat, moisture), or midweek if you can. You’ll likely have some of the better spots to yourself under those conditions. If you’re hunting the rut, have a doe decoy. Good luck!

Something else to keep in mind is that a lot of the WIHA don't open until November 1, at least the cropland WIHA. Pay attention to that while doing your research. The large pasture country you are talking about around St Francis may open in September but I will echo KB that the majority of the deer are in the ag land until the crops come off.

Thornton nailed what happened in regards to Matte talking about outfitters/WIHA.

It's only going to get worse as far as the leasing of WIHA tracts. I hear that the same group is going for all the river Wiha in Cheyenne county as they can't fill the number of Mule deer hunters that is wanted because of the tag alotment. The Outfitter will need to offer Whitetails as well

Lots of good info here. I will add that with the larger tracts of WIHA and counties that have the biggest tracts hold added pressure for all species. People open the WIHA book and see the huge parcels and head there because of the increase in opportunity to hunt. Don’t be afraid to look for the smaller pieces in out of the way places. WIHA is great if the rights ones are hunted.

all great thoughts and info.........thanks guys.

And right ones are out there. One had produced net B&C antelope and whitetail. A local rancher bow-killed a 31” mule deer in the same basic field during a firearms deer season. During a youth season, two bucks grossing over 200” were killed a few miles apart, in WIHA. The common denominator has been locals who know their area and are also good hunters.

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